Historic Hood River
Samuel Blythe on Mt. Hood
2-8-2012
Notes
Samuel Blythe was a Civil War veteran, one of the pioneers of Hood River and publisher of the Hood River Glacier newspaper. Here we see him on one of the American Legion climbs of Mt. Hood in the 1920s. I did a double take when I saw his name– as he was born in 1842 and arrived in Hood River in 1877. That puts him in his eighties by this time.
This is Mr. Blythe’s second appearance on HHR. We previously saw him here at the press of the Glacier. There is an interesting autobiography of him here.
l.e.
What a photo!!
Look at their sticks!
Nothing fancy or expensive about their clothing or gear.
And the women are wearing pants.
Charlott
Those are not what was called "alpine sticks". Those sticks were ones that they had picked up in the forest lands below. Jodhoppers were very common attire for mountain climbing in that era for both men and women, as they were tucked into the top of socks or boots boots. Maybe less chance of pant legs getting tangled up in something. Have photos of my father in his jodhoppers. The hats looks like ones they might have worn to church.
If it is American Legion climb this is definitely on our side of the mountain. Maybe Bill can identify as to the probably location that this picture was taken.
Who says you are too old to climb Mt. Hood?
Wish we knew who the others in the photo are.
Charlott
Just noticed Blythe’s watch chain across his chest.
Michael Schock
Are those ski’s in the mid far right of the picture, shaped correctly and it appears to be bindings mounted in the right place?
Dan
You can buy those same walking sticks at North Face for $499
🙂
Charlott
Yes, those are skis.
Craig McCurdy
The location of this photo is the North side of Mt Hood. On Eliot Glacier looking NW at Langille Crags. What is really amazing is the small rock band right behind the people in the photo is the West moraine. If you stand in the same spot today it’s about 70 to 100 ft. from the top of the moraine to the glacier!
nels
Mr. Blythe evidently lived at Twin Oaks Fruit Farm. Does anyone know where that location is?
spinsur
hmm, isn’t twin oaks still the homestead about 30th and belmont, coming from the heights, first ninety south, twin oaks is on the north?
Charlott
Yes, that is where Twin Oaks is.
l.e.
I’m curious if the the terrain or moraine as Craig McCurdy calls it, looks the same in terms of snow and ice.
It looks pretty barren in this photo.
Is that common in the summer?
Charlott
Snow would melt in the summer in this area, of Langille Crags much like it does on Cooper Spur, as this isn’t terribly high up on the mountain. So it would be a very common occurance.
spinsur
and I’ve been told my description above is actually to "cluster oaks"; "twin oaks" is further west, around the next bend, and almost opposite westside playground, north side of belmont.
Charlott
You must be talking about the old Percy Manser place?